The recent re-orientation towards globalisation, innovation and productivity analysis of the Working Party of the Committee on Industrial Business Environment (SWIC) means that the role of improving and enhancing the statistical side of how businesses operate is now under the auspices of the Statistics Directorate, whose role in this area has grown considerably since 2002 (Memorandum of Understanding with Eurostat data sharing, key role in the statistical part of the 2nd OECD Ministerial on SMEs in Istanbul 2004, creation of an Expert group - SBSNet, work on enterprise demography, project on entrepreneurship, etc.).

This Expert meeting, organised by the Statistics Directorate, provides a unique opportunity to take stock and assess progress made, to comment on proposals made, and to advise the Secretariat on its future focus and orientations with respect to the role more pertinent SBS/SME statistics and indicators can play in a global economy.

Draft Agenda (as of 28th October 2005)

Thursday, 3rd November 2005 (9.30 a.m.)

1. Welcome and opening an adoption of the Agenda

2. The current state of the OECD Statistics Directorate SBS/SME Statistics after the Ministerial Meeting in Istanbul -Meeting document 1 (STD/CSTAT/RD(2005)3, OECD) (pdf)

This agenda item for information provides an update on recent developments and new initiatives with respect to SBS/SME statistics. It allows Delegates to have a comprehensive, but concise, overview on the range of issues to be dealt with during this Expert Meeting.

The short document for information and discussion will give an outline of the new SBS/SME database publication and a first set of SBS/SME indicators. It will illustrate the more analytical thrust of the work intended as well as the main characteristics of SBS/SME indicators selected.

This agenda item summarises work done by the Secretariat and the SBSNet Expert Group, also thanks to the support provided by the US Bureau of Census. It contains for discussion and decision an analysis and proposals for adoption/change of the selection of SBS/SME variables, the harmonisation of SBS and SME data collections, the differences in definitions of variables, sector coverage issues and the necessity to improve the coverage of the services sector.

This agenda item for discussion and decision summarises the key elements of the strategy to be adopted to ensure quality, consistency and comparability of SBS/SME statistics. Its main thrust is to consider how OECD can take a more pro-active stance in helping countries, including Eurostat, overcome classification conversion problems and, more generally, improving data delivery to OECD.

Friday, 4th November 2005

6. Business registers and SMEs

Business registers are the key tool for the proper measurement of the enterprise population and its characteristics. New challenges stemming from a more integrated linking of both activities and the process of economic production and provision of services necessitate a fresh and critical look at definitions and register design. The papers presented under this agenda item are for information and discussion.

a) Statistics New Zealand Business Frame (BF) strategy and developments related to statistics on SMEs and the support of longitudinal business statistics - Business Frame Strategy and developments related to statistics SMEs - Meeting document 5 (New Zealand) (pdf)

This agenda item for information and discussion will explore four different facets of statistical issues relating to the better design, use and interconnection of detailed data. OECD could play a very useful role in facilitating cross-country research and orchestrating the development of indicators based upon micro data.

The paper for information and discussion argues that the statistical "under coverage" of the services sector needs to be addressed as a priority, particularly since the growing internationalisation of services markets is not adequately reflected in official statistics. Also a better understanding is needed of the drivers behind global sourcing of services strategies and their relation to manufacturing strategies. Such issues should perhaps be better connected to work done by SBS Experts.

10. Summary of conclusions and directions for future work

Based upon the discussion so far of this group, delegates are invited to advise the Secretariat on the key areas and priorities for future work of the SBS/SME Expert Group, taking into account the discussions and decisions made under agenda items 4 and 5 and 6 to 9, and the best way in which the Group can achieve these aims.